Vice President Sara Duterte put the spotlight on the stories of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during a recent trip to Kuwait, where she met with Filipino workers there and heard their grievances about the current state of the country.

Speaking before OFWs during a “Hakbang ng Maisug Gathering” in Kuwait on Friday, Aug. 15, the Vice President lamented many of the stories that she heard from OFWs, noting that none of those she met really wanted to leave the Philippines and leave their families behind.

Duterte bemoaned that seeing the progress in other countries made her wonder why the Philippines couldn’t keep up, too.

“Nagagawa siya sa ibang bansa, pero bakit hindi nagagawa sa atin? Diba? Kung tayo ay mangarap para sa isang bansa, pangarap natin, unang-una, sa ekonomiya, yung mga kababayan natin, hindi na aalis ng Pilipinas dahil walang oportunidad (It is being done in other countries, but why not at home, too? Right? If we are dreaming for a countries, our first dream is on the economy, our fellowmen won’t leave the Philippines because of the lack of opportunities),” she said.

“Aalis lang sila ng Pilipinas dahil gusto nilang umalis. Hindi dahil napipilitan silang iwanan yung pamilya nila dahil wala talaga silang mahanap na trabaho (They will only leave the Philippines because they want to. Not because they are being forced to leave their families behind because there are no jobs),” she added.

Duterte, who has been visiting several countries to meet with OFWs and hear their grievances, as well as update them about former president Rodrigo Duterte, hoped that the next generations of Filipinos won’t have to suffer through the same issues—lack of jobs and opportunities, typhoons and floods, and poor healthcare and education system.

“Hindi pwede yun. Hindi pwede. Ayaw natin magtiis. Gusto natin kung ano yung meron, maganda sa ibang bansa, meron din tayo (That cannot be. That should not be. We don’t want to suffer anymore. We like to have what other countries have, too),” she told the crowd.

“Paano natin magawa yun? Sa pagtutulungan natin na ibalik at ituloy ang pagpabago para sa ating bayan (How can we do that? By helping to bring back and continue change in our country),” she said.

The official added that as she traveled in many countries, she also spent time listening to migrant Filipinos’ woes.

Duterte lamented how one OFW in Kuwait told her that she had to bring back her child to Kuwait because they couldn’t get the same quality of healthcare in the Philippines, and how nurses had approached her to share that they would’ve never left the country if their basic pay only reached P35,000.

“Kaya sinasabi ko, umalis dahil gusto umalis. Hindi aalis dahil wala silang mahanap na maayos na trabaho. Yan yung pinaka importante na kailangan magawa para sa ating mga kababayan (That’s why I’m saying they should leave only because they want to leave. They shouldn’t leave because they couldn’t find good jobs. That’s the most important thing we can do for our fellow Filipinos),” she said.

The Vice President also shared a story about their household helper in Davao City, who had been with their family for over a decade, but formerly worked abroad where she was mistreated as she barely slept and ate.

“Sabi nga ni Manang, bahala na gutom ako dahil wala akong trabaho. Pero hindi ko magawa na pobre na ko, nagtrabaho ko pero ginatuyo ang pagpagutom sa akua (As Manang said, I can go hungry because I don’t have work. But I cannot accept that I’m already poor, I work but I go hungry),” she recalled, asking OFWs there not to sell their humanity and dignity as a person.

“Kasi yung treatment o pakikitungo na ganyan ay hindi makatao. Bumalik na lang kayo sa Pilipinas, pag-usapan na lang natin sa Office of the Vice President kung saan ba kami makatulong. So, gusto ko iiwan sa inyong lahat na (That kind of treatment is not humane. Just return to the Philippines, let’s talk at the Office of the Vice President how we can help. So, that’s what I went to tell you that) you will always have a friend in the Office of the Vice President,” she added.